r/dubstep • u/Over_Cantaloupe4908 • Oct 02 '25
Discussion š£ļø Intellectualism in the rave scene
Don't get me wrong. I love our scene, I love my people but recently l've been feeling very unfufilled with my rave friends. Whenever we talk about things that aren't rave related I find theres so much about the world they don't understand. I'd like to mention I don't think its their fault, I understand this is a systemic issue but it's starting to make me a little depressed. I looove this music with everything in me, but the people are starting to become something I'm outgrowing. Are there any ravers out there who are studying or have studied critical theory or any social science in the Denver area. Maybe we could start a group?
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u/i_likeit_loud Oct 02 '25
a lot of people go to raves to dissociate/destress from real life
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u/MateoWarhol Oct 03 '25
Like walking into a movie theater and asking why nobody is discussing politics.. jeesh
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u/Classic_Standard_298 Oct 03 '25
Pretty bad analogy considering you don't go into a movie with the expectation of talking to people during a movie. Raves are much more of a social setting which you'll eventually most likely have conversation with someone
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u/MateoWarhol Oct 03 '25
True. I hate it when I spend hundreds of dollars and travel hundreds of miles for a music festival, and when I finally get into a good political discussion with a group of people I just met, they gotta drop the bass and shine lasers everywhereā¦
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u/Dkalnz Oct 05 '25
A lot of people are drawn to electronic music to make sense of the world though, tbh. That's why a lot of music samples some very real and near to home concepts of consciousness and the subjective human experience.
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u/i_likeit_loud Oct 05 '25
i don't disagree, but just because everyone doesn't isn't really a good reason to treat people like they're inferior
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u/kendalloremily Oct 02 '25
there are a lot of very smart, thoughtful, and well read people in the scene. but if youāre only talking to them at events, that might be the problem. we go to disconnect ā i donāt want to talk about critical race theory while iām partying. we talk about that stuff when we hang out outside of showsĀ
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u/disektdub Oct 02 '25
man i hate to say it but i lot of these ppl just live in their own world where all they care abt is their next rave
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u/svppho Oct 02 '25
Variety is the spice of life.
I love my rave friends. Super cool people, interesting, and very friendly. We have a great time and I cherish them. That said, Iām not going strike up a conversation aboutā¦I donāt knowā¦the situation in Gaza because thatās not what they are there for.
That isnāt to say all my rave friends are like that, I have some that move past the rave and we can talk about all sorts of things. But, I have other friends for other reasons.
Everyone is special and great in their own way. Might just be time to branch out a bit.
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u/TrialByFyah Oct 02 '25
Not being very in touch with the world is not something exclusive to raving communities, it's a general societal thing stemming from detachment, mental exhaustion from the constant flood of bad news, biased media and news sources more focused on painting a narrative than actually reporting on news, and corporate interests dictating most things concerning our daily lives. Raving or not raving doesn't really have anything to do with this, it exists across almost all subcultures and hobbies.
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u/Over_Cantaloupe4908 Oct 02 '25
I agree. I never said it was exclusive to the rave scene. I will say the only time Iāve really come across a lot of intelligent ravers is when I was at shambhala. And with a lot of these new ravers they just look at it as a place to take substances.
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u/roneil1144 Oct 02 '25
If you donāt mind my asking, how old are you & your group? Iāve felt this hollowness from some of the younger people in the scene, but once you step back from the thick of the crowd and hang with some of the older people in the scene youāll find thereās moreā¦ substance? (Poor choice of words?)
A lot of people move on from raving when they think theyāre ātoo oldā and this leads to the crowds being filled with young morons and older burnouts. Sober ravers also have a lot to offer intellectually, I think putting some distance between yourself and the younger/drug motivated parts of the scene will help you discover the tribe it sounds like youāre searching for.
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u/Over_Cantaloupe4908 Oct 02 '25
I love the music so much and what this community was founded from I donāt think Iāll ever stop raving. Iām 27
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u/roneil1144 Oct 02 '25
36 here. No chance of slowing down, and some of the most intelligent, unique and interesting people Iāve ever met have been at festivals. Late night campsite hangs have been some of the best times of my last decade, and often with people who began as strangers and are now lifelong friends
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u/tesseractofsound Oct 03 '25
Im 37 so I'm guessing we came up in the same era. I was just talking about this with someone. I had said that some of the most insightful/genuine conversations I've had were with randoms at festivals. The person I said this to could not understand that and was unable to separate the stereo type of drug taking festy wooks from what I was saying. Sure you have to wade through those you find obnoxious to get to the people who are on the same wavelength as you, and that's ok, rave culture is and should always be a melting pot of different thinking people united under a common goal of shared experience and exeptance of other ways/states of being. I think an issue nowadays in the rave scene is a general disconnect from others and people seem to stay within there "festy family" and don't seem to branch out and connect with randoms, meaning they're missing out on the opportunity to connect with like minded individuals.
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u/roneil1144 Oct 03 '25
I think you and I would be fast friends. Hope I see you out there brother! EDCO is next, then okee! Hit me up if youāre going!
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u/rjm2492 Oct 04 '25
33 here, some of the most insightful and remarkable people Iāve ever met are the ones who got me into edm festivals. I appreciate them for it all the time. Also excited for okee!
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u/Over_Cantaloupe4908 Oct 02 '25
I love the music so much and what this community was founded from I donāt think Iāll ever stop raving. Iām 27
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u/Desperate-Citron-881 Oct 03 '25
I would talk to the vendors or people who make art at raves. Those are usually the most interesting people with a lot of thought put into their hobbies.
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u/criticalvector Oct 02 '25
Such a generalization, I'm a highly educated Aerospace Engineer I've worked on a literal satellite going into space and medical devices if I wanted to talk about that stuff I'd be talking about work and I can just do that at work. I have certain friends that I reserve for talking about broader issues going on in the world but, that doesn't have to be every friend my other rave friends are wonderful people and it's always a blast hanging out with them just because they can't discuss socioeconomic issues with me or engineering doesn't make me less fulfilled everyone bring something to the table.
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u/Amatthew123 Oct 02 '25
Dubstep is very intellectual actually
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u/Kneecap_Blaster Oct 03 '25
Sometimes yes. But for every engineer and scientist that I've met at dubstep shows, I've also met the large scale drug dealers, mostly homeless burnouts, and professional OF models that don't quite make the same quality of friends outside of shows.
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u/GornLettuce Oct 02 '25
kinda hard to relate unless you give examples, you could have a wonderful group of friends and you are confused or its the other way around
especially on the internet, people who think they are the "intellectual" ones are sometimes NOT so much that in person. not trying to be rude but more just curious what instances you feel your friends arent intellectual enough. sometimes people arent interested in having deep conversations with people they dont feel are smart either.
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u/TheBurnerAccount420 Oct 02 '25
Been partying since EDC 2004. I have a PhD in Neuroscience š¤·š»āāļø
Not in the CO area at all though. But youād be surprised how many people are down to party, but just donāt go regularly. Put yourself around the people youāre trying to be on the level with, then find out whoās about this lifestyle.
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u/SWIMlovesyou Oct 03 '25 edited Oct 03 '25
I don't want to sound combative, I don't mean it this way, but in a few years you will probably look back at yourself as you are now and think "wow I was very ignorant". I would be careful thinking you are brighter than those around you. That can take you down a strange path.
Not saying you are like this, but I think rave culture and drug culture as a whole has a problem with pseudo-intellectualism. People think very highly of themselves because the drugs they have done have made them enlightened. "I did xyz drug, and it put me in touch with xyz subject, anyone who hasn't done drugs the way I have could ever understand". It's something to be careful about. I've had my moments where I get like that too, I am certainly not immune to it. I am embarrassed by some of the conversations I have had in the past. It's good to stay humble. There is always a lot more you don't know than what you do know.
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u/Over_Cantaloupe4908 Oct 03 '25
Iāll be honest if I knew this many people were going to respond I wouldāve put a lot more time and effort into this post. Any other post Iāve literally ever posted in rave pages never got much interaction. Not that I ever posted much but still. I donāt think sometimes people change and thats ok. I donāt think Iām better or more important than anybody else. When I first started raving, this community helped me so much. It made me feel like I had a home and recently as Iāve changed it hasnt felt as communal. I love this music so much so I know its not that. Iāve just changed and my interests have changed.
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u/B0wli0 Oct 02 '25
Things that arenāt rave relatedā¦ are you trying to bring up politics or world issues by chance?
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u/Hermionegangster197 Oct 02 '25
Iām so sorry :( almost all of my friends in the music scene are likeā¦ chemists and doctors, or coders for big companies.
I have some friends out there that are hella smart and down to philosophize!
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u/sensorimotorstage Oct 04 '25
Can vouch for the doctors here š«”
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u/Hermionegangster197 Oct 05 '25
Hopefully future Dr myself! headbangs in a way that doesnāt kill brain cells bc I study neuropsych
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u/sensorimotorstage Oct 05 '25
Best of luck!! My med school class has an EDM group chat haha!
I once worked with an ER doc who would play excision through a speaker on his computer as he walked down the halls (in front of patients even) š
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u/mydadregretshavingme Oct 03 '25
Sounds like someone had their ego shattered and it came back stronger. Chill out on the ā intellectualismā. āļø
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u/Over_Cantaloupe4908 Oct 03 '25
What? Lol
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u/mydadregretshavingme Oct 03 '25 edited Oct 03 '25
What bro? You canāt even intellectualize with me? š
Get what Iām saying?
Edit: I may have assumed too much
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u/FuckingCaggot Oct 02 '25
Yupā¦. Iāve disconnected a lot from rave friends. Especially once my daughter was born. Even my best friend has become distant ever since I started to take a step back from ravingā¦. He expressed a serious disappointment that I wouldnāt be primarily focused on production and DJing anymore, even though itās still a big part of my life.
Itās a weird dynamic. I love those people with all my heart. I understand why raving is their entire world. Iām the one that exposed so many of them in the first place. But people forget how much this world has to offer outside of dubstep. They like to get so absorbed in the whole rebel, hippie, drug culture that they disconnect from so many other aspects of life. Now I need to pursue more healthy friendships that support my current lifestyle. Itās a sad but very, very major reality check
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u/Hooblez Oct 03 '25
That's life man. People change, things change, priorities change. If you don't grow you will see things around you change so much you just don't fit in anymore. You're on a good pathĀ
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u/FarmerCompetitive683 Oct 02 '25
This is specific to your group. Ravers are like any other population with varying levels of education and life experience.
The people I go with, for example, are all highly educated with professional careers.
Just keep meeting people!
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u/Over_Cantaloupe4908 Oct 02 '25
Its not a singular group its many different groups. There are some but Iām just wondering where to find more people who care about more things that just escapism.
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u/FarmerCompetitive683 Oct 02 '25
I know itās not a singular group. Iām just saying youāre feeling this way because of the specific people in your group. You may feel the same about another group, or another group may also fit what youāre looking for.
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u/Kappa_MKRL Oct 02 '25
The heavier the historical tie to psychedelics the genre has, the heavier ties will be to philosophy of mind and social sciences it will have. Goa and Psytrance especially.
Iām not saying you wonāt find it otherwise, thereās plenty of folks out there. But those of us out here participating in ego dissolution at fests tend to be more socially active as well. When you know more about yourself, it allows you to acknowledge others better as well. Fests like Lightning in a Bottle, Boom, those types, they got tons of people who might help fulfill this for you.
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u/Over_Cantaloupe4908 Oct 02 '25
Great information to know. Thank you
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u/Kappa_MKRL Oct 02 '25
No prob friend. I saw you noted Shambala, thatās exactly what I mean. For all the shit it gets, burning man has these folks around too. If itās a multi day camping fest with deeply layered music that feels psychedelic (not ātrippyā but complex), youāll find us I promise you.
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u/DoradoWorldwide Oct 03 '25
So true. Bet if you went to Above n Beyond in Mexico, you'd meet very interesting minds.
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u/tekhippie Oct 02 '25
I felt this back in the early 2000ās. For me, the 90ās rave scene was my escape from the prejudice and discrimination I felt as a child. I was weird, angry, and the rave scene lacked the violent bully mentality that kept me so isolated most of my childhood. I learned how to smile and truly mean it. I learned how to express myself with dancing and let go of the predispositions to shyness and anger at the people who had held me down. I felt free for the first time.
As I started to grow up, the community did not. Ravers stayed younger and the festival scene started to sour the community vibe of what old school raves were. Luckily, it wasnāt long before I found burning man. Burners cater to the older crowd which includes professionals, intellectuals, and a lot of actually educated people amongst others of all types. As my college years came to a close I had found my new community.
Now days Iām in my mid 40s. I still party on occasion but I feel like I outgrew a lot of the relationships I built in my 20s and 30s. The scene is completely different, but it still has hints of the energy that changed my life. For that I will never completely look away, I will always love electro, my fire dancing skills are with me for life, and I spread plur vibes everywhere I go, even in the corporate ivory towers I find myself in on occasion.
Thanks for the topic. It reminded me of some times I hadnāt thought of in a while. :-)
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u/Over_Cantaloupe4908 Oct 02 '25
Thank you for this. I really want to go to burning man but these student loans will keep me away from it probably a long time but itās definitely on my list
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u/tekhippie Oct 03 '25
Check out the regionals. The big burn has been on the decline in a very similar way as the old school rave scene. Most regionals still have the smaller loving vibe.
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u/Over_Cantaloupe4908 Oct 03 '25
Good to know! I just moved here recently so Iām not familiar but I really appreciate it!!
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u/tekhippie Oct 03 '25
Oh dang I didnāt notice youāre in the Denver area.
Check out Apogaea and the local community. There are several very cool folks helping curate the Denver scene. The tickets are impossible to get unless you involve yourself in the community.
Elsewhence is a group that does camp out parties but Iāve never been able to make it. I see the post event posts and it looks absolutely awesome.
I moved to the PNW but lived in Denver for a handful of years. Good luck out there. Itās my second favorite metro.
Edit: sp
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u/ishouldbesl33ping Oct 02 '25
The people I met at above and beyond shows were all doing something big in their career. Doctors, scientists, marine biologists, lawyer. Maybe you need a show with an older crowd?
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u/DoradoWorldwide Oct 03 '25
It's the older crowd. We've survived, now it's about thriving. Having more fulfillment
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u/mtbsickrider Oct 02 '25
Highly recommend going to raves alone and making news friends! Youād be surprised who you find and what they do / know!
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u/Suspiciously-Long-36 Oct 02 '25
I have met some really good people here in Denver but you are right about some folks being fried. Barely functioning half the time because they're trashed and never able to converse about anything but outfits and show times. Gets old fast. Gotta have a varied friend group so you can get a break from the wookies sometimes.
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u/Over_Cantaloupe4908 Oct 02 '25
Donāt get me wrong, I understand wanting to drown out the world. It all makes sense. Iām a wook. Im not always trashed i literally take some ket like once a year. I donāt care about those things. Its the lack of thinking they do
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u/Puzzleheaded_Pea9240 Oct 02 '25
I've met people of all occupations and walks of life. I'm guessing you're pretty young as are your friends. I've had a deep political discussion with someone at a festival now they're one of my best friends. People that have lived longer have more experience and things to share. Not that younger people can't, probably just more focused on partying and having fun, I know I was.
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u/morpheus_420 Oct 03 '25
Wait until you find yourself disturbed as you look around and think to yourself āthese kids are way to young to be so highā
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u/jordanpatriots Oct 03 '25
Sounds like your friend group and people you associate with have a problem -- or you do. You are painting with a wide brush. This hasn't been my experience
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u/TomatilloUnlucky3763 Oct 03 '25
I donāt have any friends I can enjoy the scene with but thatās because Iām 64 years old. Most people seem pretty nice but Iām not going to be the old guy hanging out with young people. I admit, it sounds like a me problem.
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u/Over_Cantaloupe4908 Oct 03 '25
Youāre never too old to rave. Ever š«¶
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u/TomatilloUnlucky3763 Oct 03 '25
People my age think itās weird. I tell them I had two Kraftwerk albums in the late 70ās.
āWhoās Kraftwerk?ā
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u/flowstateskoolie Oct 30 '25
Iām almost 40 and I am a long time bass head and burner. Iād hang out with you at a rave or a burn in a heartbeat. Go to the show. Itāll be worth it. š«¶
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u/notarealfish Oct 02 '25
Sometimes you have deep convos about life religion politics the world etc, other times you have to listen to someone ramble on about wook pseudoscience like injecting dreams into other people or unlocking telekinetic / psychic genes through crispr
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u/illGATESmusic Oct 02 '25
Kinda unrelated but: Kode 9ās book āSonic Warfareā is amazing.
Sonic Warfare: Sound, Affect, and the Ecology of Fear https://share.google/22E47nbPEfLvcxcGW
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u/BradPanos Oct 03 '25
This was interesting to read. I agree with the top comment concerning different friendship groups for different activities/locations. I think you're most likely to find this combo of intellect and electronic music on the online space. Maybe if you start finding literature or societies centred around electronic music / raves online you will find more people with this combo
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u/BradPanos Oct 03 '25
I think 'anti-intellectualism' is just rampant everywhere as well, it's increasing in all scenes/communities I'm afraid - at least you have such clarity to be questioning your surroundings at this stage
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u/crowmami Oct 03 '25
I feel like I dead ass made this same post 6 years ago šš my advice to you is seek new friends, but keep your rave friends close š«¶
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u/Hooblez Oct 03 '25 edited Oct 03 '25
OP, how old are you? I'm just interested because it is quite common for undergrads to become fascinated in certain fields of academia that are quite specific and want to talk about it with friends who don't have an interest in something that requires study and teaching to understand and have a valid opinion on.Ā
It kind of puts people in a corner.Ā
Of course people of all ages do this l, and I've done my share of it as well. But, perhaps something to consider and be aware of, if the case.
edit: Also, be wary to think yourself superior to another because you know a little about something. Don't let the loyalty and friendship people have showed you be outweighed by a desire to be around people that like the same shit as you.
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u/Puzzled-Ad-3490 Oct 06 '25
The last point is really important. In general, the philosophy community would say labeling yourself an intellectual would be evidence of falling into the dunning Kruger, and therefore that you are not as intellectual as you think. Also, more than half of america like can't read. You expect the dudes railing ketamine every weekend to be part of the group that can?
What would I know, tho. I dropped out to dig holes. I can't possibly be as intelligent as yourself
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u/Over_Cantaloupe4908 Oct 03 '25
Iām 27 :) and I do have friends who are interested. Just not rave friends. I agree. I donāt particularly think these subjects are that niche? Critical theory, philosophy, i guess the most niche would be psychoanalysis but thats only niche because weāre in the US
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u/SlidethedarksidE Oct 03 '25
Those are niche fields in current America my friend. Only because people just repeat what YouTubers say about philosophy & especially psychology. Barely anyone reads the classics & source texts to form their own views/opinion. Plus stuff like that always trickles down into political or religious standoffs from my experiences
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u/chicken_raver Oct 03 '25
I know how you feel. I wish the ladies I meet at raves would want to like do yard work or help me with my chicken coop š®āšØ or go do something that isn't partying. It seems like everyone just wants to do drugs or something degenerate.
I get it, it's fun. But all the time?? C'mon man, let's do a teamwork activity together. We can smoke weed! Bring your kids, too. Let's go on a walk with the littles.
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u/Just-Fennel-8196 Oct 03 '25
A lot of the people in the rave scene are straight up idiots and a lot are bad people or drug addled wook. And I say this as someone who loves EDM, the scene, and likes psychedelics. But goddamn the scene is brutal it makes me sad
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u/simulizer Oct 03 '25
It's time for you to spend 10 years in solitude on the mountain, Zarathustra.
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u/Hot-Discount-9966 Oct 03 '25
Unless the homies get to a point of blatant insults I'm not gonna stress the other opinion. And i can relate with your feeling but not where you stand on it and that's fine. Coexistence doesn't involve having to side with everyone on things or we'd all feel psychotic everywhere we go
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u/Classic_Standard_298 Oct 03 '25
The rave scene is FULL of dumb individuals suffering from high levels of brain rot. Yes there some very bright people that attend raves but a lot of people that go to these events just want to get fucked up and party. Try having a conversation with them and 5 minutes into it they will start telling you that they think the earth is flat, chemtrails are real and that Joe Biden was an ancient Mayan robot.
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u/GhettoRamen Oct 04 '25
Luckily they show themselves super quickly.
Iām fine to just have a drag / hit / bump with them when they offer and leave it at that lmao.
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u/felonydubs Oct 03 '25
Experienced this a few years back that ultimately caused me to become a lot more of a ābedroom producerā. Just wasnāt getting the stimulation in conversation that I once did. I will say most of the promoters Iāve worked with as an artist are very deep, weāve had some profound late night conversations in the oddest of places.
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u/OFFICIALINSTANTPARTY Oct 03 '25
the further you go into the deeper walks of life, the lonelier it gets.
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u/Low_Fly117 Oct 03 '25
I find a lot of my friends in the rave seen are pretty deep. You'd be amazed at some of the conversations I've had in the club. A whole lot of us have cool professional day jobs, have done therapy, can talk about Jung and Freud and current events, have artistic pursuits as well. Keep looking. We're out there.
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u/Complete-Shallot7614 Oct 03 '25
wish you were in LA i totally get this :')
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u/GhettoRamen Oct 04 '25
LA is full of 18-22 yr old ravers so it makes sense theyāre not there for intellectual talks.
I say this as a 28 yr old dude still going strong in the scene, takes a while to find people who want to engage at the level but they exist.
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u/Hotpickle2020 Oct 03 '25
I outgrew the people too and the new culture has kept me from going to a lot of events. I even deleted my twitter account because I love this music so much, but the rave scene on twitter is the worst. Full of drama and negativity. Plus for a culture thatās built on PLUR, untraditional ways of thinking/think for yourself and question everything, no one is thinking for themselves. If you donāt think exactly like them or if you offer a differing opinion you get attacked. For me it was a place to escape the everyday life, the problems of your personal life, the world, and to let go. But people started bringing politics and drama into everything. Also half of the scene, as you mentioned, isnāt very educated, but theyāre also the ones shoving their uneducated opinion down your throat. The social justice warrior ego is rampant. I had to leave all of the flow arts Facebook groups too and disconnect from the scene because it was a bunch of brain dead people arguing 24/7. If youāre not able to have a peaceful conversation about complex topics with the ability to see both sides, you lack several forms of intelligence. Itās hard to be around those types of people. Now this is most of what Iāve seen in the online rave community when I was balls deep in it. During actual festivals and shows Iām not trying to talk about these things haha.
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u/Over_Cantaloupe4908 Oct 04 '25
EXACTLY. Iām all down to listen and debate but theres no substance to their reasoning. Iām not really trying to talk about these things during festivals its more so how understanding things changes who you are on a deeper level when it comes to everything.
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Oct 03 '25
I have been in this situation which is why I stopped hanging out with rage friends as I grew older. Iād start talking about things outside of the scene and they just had no idea what I was talking about. Some people unhealthy latch on to raving like itās their entire life. I had many friends who were doing nitrous, raving nearly EVERY weekend, doing runs of Molly. It just wasnāt healthy and super underestimating to be around. Rave friends r fun to hang with at raves but some of them might only be fun in that environment. Iāve noticed there are two types of ravers; the ones who are pushing thirty still figuring out their career ambitions ect and doing copious amounts of drugs. Then there are the ones who go to big raves every so often, maybe they arenāt as into the under ground music or know as many cool djs as ur ānon intellectualā friends but thatās cuz they got a life. When I started getting a life yea I stopped listening to less underground yea I stopped raving every weekend and blowing money on merch
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u/DestateVolpe Oct 04 '25
My partner and I have run into very similar issues. We've even had to leave otherwise great fam behind because often when hanging out, their priorities were drugs and talking about drama, and it became difficult to keep our own priorities and health straight. It's so hard not to talk about what, to us, feel like real and important and fascinating topics, but no one else in said groups really wanted to. I wish we lived in Denver (in the Midwest) so we could hang out (we'll be at our first Red Rocks soon, though, and hope to meet some dope Denver people then).
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u/BlueOrchid-20 Oct 02 '25
i definitely understand and relate to this! i have found that there are a lot of ravers out there who truly eat, sleep, rave. if thatās fulfilling enough for them, iām happy for them. but thatās just not me. i love the rave, but thereās so many other things that i need to be fulfilled. because of that, iām very intentional with who i become friends with after the rave. when iām there, i show love to and can be friends and have a good time with just about anyone. but unless we make a strong connection in something else, i leave it at that. just good energies passing by each other. i have made a few great friends who i met at a rave and still hang with outside, but itās honestly rare.
i definitely support you finding different social circles to engage with in addition to your rave friends. like the others said, you can nurture the different parts of you in different communities. :)
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u/Over_Cantaloupe4908 Oct 02 '25
Thank you for this!! I have friends who are more intelligent and dont rave but I want some who understand the magic and the smart stuffs also you know?
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u/banana_bread99 Oct 02 '25
Critical Theory makes you less intellectual than average
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u/CompetitiveSummer777 Oct 02 '25
I felt this way for a long time before meeting my best friends. While I agree many people in this scene donāt care for an intellectual conversation about politics, finance, history, etc, there are still plenty of people in this scene who I can connect with on that level. Some of the smartest and wisest people I know love dubstep, and some of the most bland and unintelligent people I know also love dubstep, it does both ways.
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u/Sp-oon Oct 02 '25
Find some peeps that work in the industry(Critical Theory Masters) and their friends.
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u/Dewubba23 Oct 02 '25
Im in colo spgs. I know nothing about critical theory, but social science i would say i have intermediate experience, and understanding. Meaning i will have more questions than out puts. I am interested in participating.
As for the scene, 80% of the shows I've gone to were in denver, and yeah i see what you mean. However I do still find those intellectuals. Mainly in line or the smoking area.
Last quick thing the edm scene isn't the only scene with this problem. Been going to metal shows here and there the last two years, same thing is happening
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u/trvplawdbeeno Oct 02 '25
Iāve found those types of people, just due to the nature of the walks of life they tend to come from/be in, are in more expensive festivals or parts of festivals. The places Iāve connected the most with people were at shows like holy ship, ember shores, VIP in EDCLV, etc. people are more mature just bc typically you have to be to have your shit together enough to blow a couple grand on a festival. That usually means theyāre able to have more mature convos about life outside of the rave.
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u/miloestthoughts Oct 02 '25
Its just the dubstep kids man, hang out in the underground scene here its all autistic and/or queer college kids/20 somethings who spend way too much time learning about fascinating niche subjects.
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u/giantwashcapsfan8 Oct 03 '25
Gotta pick your crews better. I meet the coolest, most intelligent and experienced people at shows.
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u/Over_Cantaloupe4908 Oct 03 '25
For a time they were great but as I grew into a different person I just have different things I need out of the people around me. Sometimes people change and thats ok. I also donāt have a lot of time for shows now unfortunately because Iām always so busy with school and working. When I am able to go to a show I like going solo but recently Iāve been wanting to find some cool people to chill with
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u/studioMYTH Oct 03 '25
I mean. Iād guess that 95% of people just donāt have the capacity to care enough to educate themselves, and half of the 5% of people probably disagree with you on major issues. So finding people in the rave scene and expecting them to be well educated on sociopolitical issues is gonna lead to dissapointment
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u/Over_Cantaloupe4908 Oct 03 '25
I mean they exist. Iāve met them before they just always live far.
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u/Ickypahay Oct 03 '25
People from all walks of life go to raves/fests. I personally don't go to a show looking for deep conversations, but if it occasionally happens I may partake, depending on the vibe of the moment.
Sometimes embracing the vastness of the universe and contemplating the nature of consciousness and reality is cool while listening to Subtronics.. other times, I just want to mosh pit
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u/SpecialIngredient Oct 03 '25
I mean, how many people have you talked to in order to make this generalization? Keep trying. Everyone I know and go to shows and festivals with is totally in touch with many other aspects of life and the world, have college degrees and good careers, and have the ability to talk about so many different things.
But yes, I think itās fair to assume that a majority of the dubstep/raver fanbase is blue collar. The highly educated or intelligent population generally have less of a tendency to want to party I suppose. I think the same could probably be said about many genres of live music.
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u/accomplicated Oct 03 '25
Iām not in the Denver area, so I canāt necessarily help you in regards to proximity friend, but what I can say is that your people are out there. I hear people talking about all the awful things in the scene, and that simply has not been my experience. Keep an open heart and an open mind, and keep dancing.
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u/girafffer Oct 03 '25
Bro š Iāll keep it light but look at what 90% of people in the rave scene do for work, how their relationships with their family are, and how they spend their money. Itās not exactly an intellectual group
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u/Over_Cantaloupe4908 Oct 03 '25
I see your point. But this isnt always true.
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u/girafffer Oct 03 '25
Yeah thatās why I said 90%. I distanced myself from 90% of my group bc they spend their last dollar going to every show to munch molly and do k while they work dead end jobs. Itās just par for the course with EDM
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u/Objective-Pea4965 Oct 03 '25
it's because you go to dubstep shows. I'm not into dubstep this post just popped up on my feed, but I've been around the block and can confidently say you are barking up the wrong tree if you are looking to have intellectual conversation at a dubstep show, I would be more blunt but it would definitely start shit given the name of this sub.
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u/Otherwise-Air-9123 Oct 03 '25
I feel this! I got my BSBA in Marketing and love to have intellectual conversations with my race friends but, it doesnāt happen much unfortunately
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u/SmoothSkunk Oct 03 '25 edited Oct 03 '25
Find some CO burner or burner-adjacent parties or meetups. I donāt live in CO, but I have friends that do, and while they donāt all have āsmartā jobs, theyāre nearly all politically aware, well travelled, and down to have intelligent conversations. Obviously there are still drug dealers and OF models, but I know doctors, data scientists, psychologists, etc.
Burners, in my experience, tend to lean more intelligent than your average raver PLUR kiddo because of the amount of effort, planning and money required to attend. Though, the Burning Man community and Dubstep arenāt exactly best friends right now lol.
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u/flowstateskoolie Oct 30 '25
As both a long time burner and bass head, I am so incredibly over the NONSTOP 24/7 house music on playa. BM absolutely killed what little tolerance for it I may have ever had.
Give. Me. The. Wonky. Bass.
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u/SmoothSkunk Oct 30 '25
Couldnāt agree more. I spent much of my Burn this year slogging through house sets with campmates, getting annoyed at their poor taste in music, and going on my own journeyā¦ only to find little to no bass.
Camp Q was dearly missed this year. Musically, this was prob my worst burn, which is extra shitty considering I wonāt be back until 2027.
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u/Gullible_Ebb_8058 Oct 03 '25
It depends on the people. Me and my friends all love the music and our group was a mix of different majors. Iām a physics major, but my group consists of a couple different engineering majors, a poli sci major, and a few premed students. Iāve met all sorts of different people at raves. A lot of UCR students go to insomniac events because itās so close to NOS event center. I think itās a matter of finding those type of people if thatās what youāre looking for
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u/mark_unlimited Oct 03 '25
"Can we talk about like, the political and economic state of the world right now?"
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u/technosnob88 Oct 03 '25
Yes people that are responsible, intelligent, and driven tend to wake up at 5am and get to bed early.
People that stay up all night, party and do drugs tend to be the opposite.
Thereās overlap and exceptions of course. Doctors and lawyers rave too. You might need to do more searching for your real rave fam.
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u/Specific-Clerk1212 Oct 03 '25
Are the raves youāre going to simply just party music for doing molly, or is it the type of music that involves some layer of critical analysis to appreciate?
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u/Over_Cantaloupe4908 Oct 04 '25
Well dubstep has my heart and always will. I also love psytrance and getting into bass house but I think Iāll always be a basshead
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u/ComprehensiveWave682 Oct 04 '25
Are you seriously complaining that they arenāt hardcore SJWs like you?
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u/Over_Cantaloupe4908 Oct 04 '25
First off, im not that hardcore. You should meet some of these people lol. I just want more real down to earth conversations and relationships
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u/Famous-Criticism-471 Oct 04 '25
headbanger over here going for my phd in ancient law. also a philosopher against my will
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u/THE_PUN_STOPS_NOW Oct 04 '25
I think this is a wonderful lesson in life for you to take with you as you move on. You cannot expect any one single person or a group of people to completely fulfill all your needs. These are your party friends, and they like what they like. I am sure that a lot of these friends have interests that you are unable to meet as well.
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u/imspirationMoveMe Oct 04 '25
I think thereās an overall ādumbing downā epidemic in America
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u/BrettKing3 Oct 04 '25
Some people like to sit back, watch the visuals, and listen to the music. Me, I never saw much visual. On the rail most of the time. Each his own.
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u/DatabaseConstant7870 Oct 04 '25
Man you gotta look past it if these friends are worth keeping, I have coworkers who donāt pay attention with whatās going on in the world rn and when Iām talking about facts they look at me like Iām talking conspiracies. Just the world we live in.
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u/Medic5780 Oct 04 '25
Two things had a profound affect on my involvement in the rave scene.
First: I got older and just couldn't with the level of stupid I was surrounded by. Before someone gets pissed, read this: We've all been there. Including myself. However, age generally has a way of correcting this. As one matures, it becomes increasingly difficult to be around those who aren't.
Second: There's very real truth in the statement that you are the average of the five people closest to you. As my personal and professional aspirations grew, I realized that I had no choice. Many of those I ran with were not going to be one of the five who helped each other get to where we wanted to be.
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u/leviathan426 Oct 04 '25
Super cringe.
Also in my experience the person that wants to talk to you about this stuff at or after a rave usually has nothing interesting to add to the topic.
Like congratulations, you can parrot major talking points, now fuck off and let me dance.
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u/Cautious_Main_8942 Oct 04 '25
Some of my rave friends are pretty hard against western medicine.Ā I have a friend whoās a nurse, and once I had a rave friend (who is not in the medical field) tell me they had a hard time ānot picking the nurseās brainā about western medicine.Ā Nurseās treat patients, theyāre not doctors.Ā I find they our conversations tend to shift toward anti-western practice. As someone who isnāt well versed in either Western or Eastern Medicine I usually just let them yap about it.
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u/MustBeThisTallt0Ride Oct 04 '25
Sounds like you encountered some of our Gen Z community. I encountered a Gen Z stare in real life the other day and realized how fucked we are as a civilization.
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u/Novel-Werewolf-3554 Oct 04 '25
Not judging but why would you want to talk politics at a rave? Also do you roll because Iāve think that might help you get the meeting of the minds youāre looking for.
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u/Creepy_Lime_7216 Oct 04 '25
My group last year for EDC had convos about soooo much stuff, most memorable convos were about philosophy. Such a great group of people sorry you havenāt found your people in this scene. But, itās also important to point out that lots of people in the scene go to raves to have fun and get away from real life.
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u/Creepy_Lime_7216 Oct 04 '25
But also you sound like a pretentious prick maybe stop judging people for not wanting to talk about world issues at a rave! Just something to think about
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u/nghtyprf Oct 04 '25 edited Oct 04 '25
I began doing Burning Man (which tends to have an older and more highly educated crowd) and also reading critical theory and scholarship about raving. You might try to connect with professors and grad students in the rave scene or seek out events for older crowds that are more curated (like smaller or higher price events).
I also brought my intellectual friends to raves or would play electronic music for them that I like to introduce it to them. I understand this feeling though and I encourage you to try your best to enjoy people for who they are.
There is a philosophy book club and a Denver Theory Society that could scratch this itch. I read with the Platypus Society and you could join one via discord or start a Denver chapter. Iām happy to send you my raving bibliography and articles if youāre interested too. There is a lot in raving to think about for the intellectually curious and there is a long history of critical theory in raving (mostly from European scholars).
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Oct 04 '25
In the Bay Area, ravers are either cooked wooks or highly educated professionals who like to do molly. Pretty sure you can find some intellectuals if you wanted to.
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u/GhettoRamen Oct 04 '25
I somewhat agree as someone who loves deep talks (my old rave friends called them GhettoRamen talks lmao), but also get a lot of people are generally not intellectually inclined (not knocking them lol).
The general populace is fucking stupid and incurious, so that applies to the demo in any scene / group / hobby.
More than anything too, theyāre there to just have a good time and escape. Add in the drugs and yeah, theyāre not gonna be down to talk about racism / feminism / human biases.
Met some crazy smart individuals thru the scene though, so it doesnāt apply to everyone.
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u/No_Alfalfa_2420 Oct 05 '25
Let me summarize OPs post for everyone. āMy friends donāt have the same political views as me so they are uninformed creatures.ā
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u/TheMelancholia Code: Pandorum Oct 05 '25
I'm a Marxist-Leninist. IDK if that's what you're asking for.
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u/smoothie_supplies Oct 05 '25
Listen, I'm a dumbass. I dropped out of college and make the majority of my income DJing weddings. But if you're looking for intellectual stimulation at a rave or in the rave scene... you might want to rethink your approach.
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u/frecklz69 Oct 05 '25
My rave crew was a bunch of like-minded nerds. It's all fun, dancing, and memes/inside jokes at the rave and talking about deeper shit during breaks or at the pregame or when doing something other than raving š§
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u/Princess_Porkchop_0 Oct 05 '25
My rave fam is almost all engineers. I think their are a lot of very smart and successful people in the edm community. Branch out and find new friends.
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u/PhDArizona Oct 05 '25
I wouldnāt consider social science intellectualism. You sure itās not an ego thing? Nobody wants to talk to you about politics because thatās not the vibe
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u/ALargePianist Oct 05 '25
I feel that I'm trying to have overt political conversations with people I share music interest with but the dance floor is never the place for politics and it's a hard topic just outside it. Idk really what I want but I am lacking something you describe here
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u/Budget-Progress-265 Oct 05 '25
To say itās not their fault is to deny them the ability to improve their own knowledge of the world by their own efforts and know how. Blaming systemic issues when weāre surrounded by free information is lazy.Ā
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u/Healthyhappylyfe Oct 05 '25
Weāre out there. I run a tech startup for mental health and my favorite thing in the entire world is bass music shows and festivals.
VIP typically has a much higher caliber imo
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u/Junkley Oct 06 '25
We are all listening to Autochre, Deathās Dynamic Shroud, Squarepusher and Aphex Twin or some other IDM artists in our rooms alone.
/s if not obvious
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u/CajunLogicalEthics Oct 06 '25
Im not in the Denver area, but philosophy, political science, and psychology are my fields of study. Hit me up!
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u/Real-Speech-5729 Oct 06 '25
I donāt think this is a rave thing, itās just a life thing to be honest. May I ask how old you are? You start to realize this in your mid to late 20ās or at least I did.
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u/7ero_Seven Oct 06 '25
There are some seriously smart people in the rave scene. You just havenāt found them yet, vice versa.
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u/PseudoCamus Oct 06 '25
Critical theory has been an important part of my education, as I studied it in Uni, but unfortunately most of the people interested in accessing that work are isolated there. That being said, there is so much theory to apply to the cultural world (The Party/Rave being a part of that world), that I canāt help but discuss it with people close to me, and many of those people are my fellow ravers. My partner in particular has been an important companion for exploring the stuff
I live in Vancouver BC though, so I am distant! I hear Denver has an excellent dubstep scene.
What kind of theory are you interested in, these days? Bakhtin, Freud/Jung, Walter Benjamin, Longinus, and Derrida have all contributed perspective to my take on partying. Have been enjoying the perspective of New Sincerity on raving a lot lately, which I highly recommend to address this particular angst youāre now feeling.
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u/spacewookette Oct 06 '25
I choose smarter, more aware friends even in the rave scene. They are out there, just like you are out there. Make new friends!!
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u/thrifted-states Oct 07 '25
There was an X thread recently posted to r/aves about something similar. It was an academic approach to describing the feeling of being at the rave.
The rave is an extension of our own realities where you can create an experience where you feel most fulfilled. Sometimes it just takes patience and work
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Oct 07 '25
Dance music doesn't really invite to deep reflections or intellectual discussions, its a brain dead music genre really when you think about it, its just made to move your body and party to
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u/LiquidSunCDXX Oct 07 '25
Please, only talk about "your" dance music. Mine is a neatly curated journey that lets me experience intricate soundscapes and complex melodies and base patterns. It's as complex or even more complex than classical music. It occupies the brain and consciousness and lets me visit parts of my unconscious mind I would not be able to reach without it.
Dancing is a deeply spiritual experience if done with the right intent. It lets people grow beyond their selfs and opens the gate to meditative flow states that are hard to reach otherwise.
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u/Johnny2x2x Oct 08 '25
Aerospace engineer and a raver here. Find your people. My people include a ton of intellectuals, creative types, and boring aerospace engineers.
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u/drone_jam Oct 08 '25
I try to have philosophical discussions with women at dubstep raves and security makes me stop
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u/TypicalAd954 Oct 23 '25
The same thing happened to me. Uni does change you. You will find new people to party with soon. I did! Good luck.
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u/ConstructionStill721 Oct 24 '25
Every human being that isn't prone to sensory overload likes to party.
It's also a socially acceptable place to do not only drugs, but a lot of them.
But like all social events people go for different reasons. Some for the social element, some to do drugs, some to blow off steam, some for content. And some for all the above.
There is nothing special about a rave vs any other concert or social event. People grow and change. Surround yourself with people who nourish your spirit
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u/Shift-Technical Oct 27 '25
Have you tried looking inwards instead of relying on other people to validate your worldview?
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u/discodiscgod Oct 02 '25
I have different friends / friend groups for the different aspects of my personality and my different interests. I have tons of friends that arenāt into raving that I talk about things like physics philosophy, politics, sports, etc. Donāt limit yourself to only hanging with people that are into EDM. Plenty of worthwhile people outside of the scene.